Introduction

In the Book of Job, one on Job's friends named Bildad, asked the following question:

Job 25:4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? 5: Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. 6: How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

How can a man be just before God? How can man be right with God? Bildad wrestled with this question for the following reasons:

First, because of the holiness of God.

Job 25:4 Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. 

The moon and the stars (sun) and the brightest and most glorious objects in nature are dim and imperfect and have no glory when compared with God's holiness and majesty. How can man be justified before that God who is so pure, so holy, and requires justice and holiness?

Second, because of the sinfulness of man.

Job 25:6 How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Then another difficulty is the extreme unholiness of man, his miserable baseness and corruption. Man is here called a worm. Worms are emblem of vileness and weakness. Worms live in dung hills, a repugnantly filthy place. They crawl and creep in it and find their food in it. The best of men are comparable to a crawling worm - vile and helpless. Man, compared to God is corrupt and weak.

Psalm 89:6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?

With these two realities put together - God so holy that the very moon and stars have no glory in His eyes and man so polluted that the filthy worm which crawls upon the dunghill is considered a just emblem of his case and character, then how can man be justified with God? How can sinful man be right with a holy God?

Furthermore, there is the Devil who is ready to condemn the believers. The Devil is ready to throw charges at, accuse and condemn believers.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

The Devil is going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it, to lay charges and condemn believers.

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10: And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

The Devil is always ready to take believers into court. He is ready to point an accusation against us. He is not omniscient, he doesn't know everything but he seems to know  a lot about us. And  he is ready to accuse God's people. 

With God so holy and pure, and man so depraved and corrupt, and the Devil always ready to condemn us, the Apostle comes now in our text and throws out a challenge and asks this bold question ...

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? ...

Paul came to a place where he fears no condemnation. How can a guilty sinful man like Paul come to the place where he fears no condemnation? How does a man come to the place where he can hurl as it were into the teeth of the whole moral universe this question, "who is he that condemneth?"

Paul wants you and I as Christians to have the greatest assurance in the word and to know that there is nothing that will condemn us, nothing that will separate you and me from Christ, nothing that will take away from us the hope of everlasting life.

The Answer to the Question

It is a rhetorical question, the assumed answer is, "No one!" And then in answer to the question that would arise, 'Paul on what basis?'

Four Tremendous Facts

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

We read here four solid foundations for Paul and believers' confident of no condemnation.

I - Crucifixion

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

This is the first reason why Paul no longer fears condemnation. Paul came to a place where he fears no condemnation, not because he was an apostle, not because he fought a good fight, not because he planted local churches, not because he was a preacher, but because it is Christ that died.

1. Substitutionary Death

Our Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the cross, He took our place.

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Jesus Christ, the sinless One, was made "sin" for us. When Christ was on the cross, God dealt with Christ, as though He were a sinner, though He was not guilty of any sin. He was made Sin; not a sinner, but Sin, a Sin-offering, a Sacrifice for sin. 

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Christ identified with man's sin: mankind identified with Christ's righteousness—that is the truth, simple and yet unfathomable, in which he is content to rest.

2. Sufficient Death

Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Our Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the cross and paid for our sins, He paid it all.

John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Our sins and its payment have been fully paid when Christ died on the cross. We believe that in the death of Christ there was a full penalty paid to divine justice for all the sins which the believer can possibly commit. 

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

The blood of Jesus Christ, God's own Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Your sins and may sins may be great, but there is no sin too great that the blood of Jesus Christ cannot wash away. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude, 

In my place condemned he stood, 

Sealed my pardon with his blood: 

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

It is Christ that died, how can I be condemned!

II - Resurrection

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

This is the second reason why Paul could boldly throw out the challenge - Who is he that condemneth?

"Yea rather," said the apostle; as if he would have it, that this is a still more powerful argument.  It is true that death was the payment of the debt, but resurrection was the public acknowledgment that the debt was paid. "Now," says Paul, "yea rather, he is risen from the dead."  He lives, and because he lives I shall live also. 

1. Evidence of Jesus Christ's Sonship

Romans 1:4 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4: And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

The greatest evidence of identity of Jesus as the the true Son of God is the resurrection from the dead. Paul writes that Jesus was declared, established with power (miraculously and convincingly) as the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead according to the Spirit of holiness. 

2. Evidence of the Father's Satisfaction 

The resurrection was confirmation of the Father's acceptance of the Son's substitutionary death. 

"On the cross I see Jesus dying for my sins as an expiating sacrifice; but in the resurrection I see God acknowledging the death of Christ, and accepting what He has done for my indisputable justification." - C. H. Spurgeon

It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, how can I be condemned?

III - Exaltation

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

We cannot be condemned for Christ hath died. Yea rather, is risen again; is even at the right hand of God.

Here is an argument which hath much more power, much more strength, much more force than even Christ's death and the resurrection of Christ.

The right hand is the place of power and authority. Christ at the right hand of God signifies that all power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth. 

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

After the resurrection Jesus Christ spoke to HIs disciples and reminded them that all power and authority had been given to Him and this is the result of His obedience and accomplishment of His mission on earth.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11: And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, how can I be condemned?

IV - Intercession

What is Christ doing at the right hand of God?

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God representing us and making intercession for us. He is at the right hand of God standing as our Advocate,

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Satan can throw all his charges and accusations but he is powerless because the One who sits at the right hand of God is interceding for believers. Satan is powerless against the power of Christ's prayer.

"It is not that the accusations made against believers by Satan and the unbelieving world are always false. The fact that we are not yet sinless is obvious. But even when a charge against us is true, it is never sufficient grounds for our damnation, because all our sins — past, present, and future — have been covered by the blood of Christ and we are now clothed in His righteousness." — John McArthur

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

O, may we get a hold of this truth that Christ never ceases to intercede for His own. While we appreciate when fellow believers pray for us, we know that human prayers have their limitations. And whatever may be the limitation of human prayers, the believer is assured that there is One who never ceases to pray for us and He has has all power and favor with the Father.

It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us, how can I be condemned?

Closing Thoughts

Who then will condemn us? Who is in a position to condemn? The only One who has the power and authority to condemn is the Judge of all men, Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:1). Will Jesus Christ condemn us? No, for He is the One who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, interceding and pleading for us.

I hope you noticed that every part of Paul's answer to this question, "Who is he that condemneth?", every part of the answer focuses upon this unique Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Would you loved to be able to say that with Paul? Would you? What would you give to be able to come a place where you fear no condemnation? 

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The answer is not church membership, nor baptism, nor praying long and lengthy prayers, nor sacraments, nor religious rituals. The answer is, One must be united with Jesus Christ through the Gospel by faith.   There is no more condemnation to those who are united by living faith to Christ "that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

It is in the believing reception of and Spirit wrought understanding of these things that we are brought to say, "Who is he that condemeth?" Have you completely placed your trust in the Christ who died, who rose again, who is at the right hand of God and who is making intercession for His people? Where is your hope? O, put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will have Paul's confidence where you will no longer fear condemnation.

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

When he shall come with trumpet sound,

O may I then in him be found,

Dressed in his righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain:

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

O, believers, may our hearts run out in praise and in worship to that unique Person who has taken upon Himself the whole cause of our salvation!

AMEN!